Nick Jones, 13, of Pilot Mountain, N.C., center, and others take the written portion of the 75th annual National Spelling Bee in Washington Wednesday, May 29, 2002. One-hundred-and-seventy-four spellers struggled through the 25-word test that ended the first day of the national competition. About half of the contestants were expected to score high enough to continue to Thursday's final rounds. Susanna Seibert, 13, of Towanda, Pa. is in behind Jones, Katharine Close, 9, of Spring Lake, N.J. is in front of Jones.